HILLSBORO, Ore. - Paving the way for next-generation chips, FEI Co. has shipped its first photomask repair tools for 193-nm lithography applications.
The products, dubbed the Accura XT Focused Ion Beam (FIB) mask repair tool and the SNP XT Stylus NanoProfilometer, work in tandem to deliver characterization and repair of the most advanced photomasks for 193-nm lithography applications.
The Accura XT, co-developed with International Sematech, makes use of FEI's focused ion beam and gas assisted etch technologies to remove excess material or deposit missing material. It is designed to repair phase-shift, OPC and other defects found on leading edge mask sets, according to Hillsboro-based FEI.
By combining the mask repair capabilities of the Accura XT with the mask metrology, inspection and characterization performance of FEI's SNP XT Stylus NanoProfilometer, FEI delivers a one-two punch for all types of mask repairs, said Michel Epsztein, FEI's senior vice president and general manager of FEI's MicroElectronics product division.
"Featuring enhanced reliability and high degrees of automation and cleanliness, the Accura XT delivers excellent repair yields. It will greatly help our customers control the costs of 90nm and 65 nm geometry node masks that can now cost nearly one million per set," he said in a statement.
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